SYTYCD's Nigel Lythgoe Announces Partnership with Dizzy Feet Foundation and the National Dance Education Organization

Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance co-creator, executive producer, judge and co-founder of Dizzy Feet Foundation along with Adam Shankman, announced today at the annual NDEO Conference in Miami, FL a strategic partnership with Dizzy Feet Foundation and the National Dance Education Organization that will support and promote quality dance education based on standards in the United States, regardless of the style or genre of dance, or where the dance is taught.

"The quality of dance education in the United States is improving but the future is hindered due to lack of funding," said Lythgoe. "It's an important part of Dizzy Feet Foundation's mission to continue the pursuit of improving arts education in the U.S., and we're thrilled to be working with NDEO to increase awareness for the cause."

The theme of this year's conference, held October 23-27, is Focus on Dance Education: The Art and Craft of Teaching. The conference brings together dance educators from across the country to share dance pedagogy, resources, and best practices through a series of workshops, forum discussions, and presentations. Nigel Lythgoe joined the hundreds of dance educators in attendance at the Grand Opening event to make the announcement and highlight how vital this partnership is in supporting mutual efforts toward promoting the quality of dance education.

About National Dance Education Organization

Founded in 1998, the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing dance education centered in the arts. To that end, the organization provides its members and the field at large with advocacy, professional development, standards, leadership, support services, honor societies, and research for dance educators, artists, administrators, and students across all genres of dance. NDEO members can be found in PreK-12 schools, colleges and universities, dance studios, community centers, and performing arts organizations. Major NDEO programs include the National Honor Society for Dance Arts (NHSDA), Online Professional Development Institute (OPDI), Dance Education Literature and Research descriptive index (DELRdi), and the Professional Teaching Standards for Dance Arts (PTSDA). The organization is also a member of the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) and is responsible for leading the development of the new national K-12 dance standards set to be released in early 2014. NDEO is the national voice for dance arts education in alliance with over 100 federal and state agencies and arts associations helping to shape policy at the national, state, and local levels that affect dance arts education programs and educators.

About Dizzy Feet Foundation

The Dizzy Feet Foundation was established in 2009 by producer Nigel Lythgoe, director Adam Shankman, among others, to help underprivileged young people realize their dream of becoming professional dancers and to support, improve, and increase access to dance education in the United States. As a non-profit organization, the mission is threefold: to sponsor, fund, and/or support dance education programs that expose children in low-income areas to the lifelong benefits of dance education through and with local community organizations; to provide scholarships to talented students studying at accredited or nationally regarded dance schools, studios, or institutions; and in conjunction with recognized credentialing organizations, to support and increase the quality of all styles of dance education in the United States.

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